Safety christmas tree stand



Aug. 2, 1949. J. F. HAVERY SAFETY CHRISTMAS TREE STAND 2 SheefcsSheet 1 Filed April 4, 1947 Fey. 2.

J. F. HAVERY AFETY CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Aug. 2, 1949.

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Patented Aug. 2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims. 1

This invention relates to a Christmas tree stand, and has for an object to provide a stand for this purpose which is much safer than ordinary stands, particularly much less dangerous from fire.

Another object is to provide an improved lighting system in such a device, which in case of a short circuit will not carry this back into the house lighting system, with the resultant additional safety feature.

The device has means including a container for water in which the stem for the tree i inserted so that the tree is kept fresh with water throughout its leaves and branches, preventing it from drying out, and greatly reducing the fire hazard, and also, as there is water in the device, with an electric wiring system this increases the danger of short circuits in the device itself, and therefore it includes a safety fuse to reduce and practically eliminate the danger from fire from this cause.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a front view;

Fig. 3 is a detail section of the tree holding means;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatical plan view of the platform showing the wiring system;

Fig. 5 is a detail section through oneof the posts, and

Fig. 6 is a section through a side rail.

The device comprises a platform I 0, preferably of plywood construction, as indicated in Fig. 3, as this has greater strength and is less apt to warp out of shape, and it is preferably made in two sections with the inner edges of the sections abutting, as indicated at II. This platform is provided with a central opening l2 in which is mounted the holder and tank I3 for the tree (not shown). This holder preferably comprises a onepiece cast construction, including the container M with a flange l5 about its upper edge by means of which it may be fastened on the under side of the platform I!) by any suitable means, such as the screws I6. From its upper wall extends a tubular extension I! with a funnel or outwardly tapered portion I8 at its upper end, and it is preferred to cast or otherwise provide blocks 19 on the inner walls of this tapered portion to provide increased supporting stock for a plurality of clampin screws 20, which are preferably thumb or wing screws, as shown, and threaded into transversely extending openings through the side walls and the block. This tubular extension I! is adapted to receive the stem of a tree (not shown) and hold it in an upright position. The lower end of the stem rests on the bottom wall 2| of the tank or container, and this is preferably provided with a pointed lug or cone 22 to be inserted in the lower end of the stem and hold it central against lateral movement, and the stem is securely held by the clamping screws 20 at the upper end of the device. The tapered upper portion is facilitates the insertion of the stem and the pouring of water into the container. Because of this taper it permits ready pouring of water into the container when the tree is in position and it also permits the operator to see when the device is nearly filled, so that there is very little danger of pouring in too much Water, to cause it to run over, to injure the device by wetting or to cause electrical short circuits in the wiring, and still it may be kept substantially filled with water to keep the tree fresh and materially reduce the fire hazard, because the water is being constantly absorbed by the tree, keeping the leaves and branches filled with water, so it is not easily ignited.

About the outer edge of the platform is a suitable molding 23 which supports the platform above the floor and gives it a finished attractive appearance. It also encloses the tank I4 so that it is out of sight, and above this molding about the outer rim of the platform is a fence comprising the end posts 24 and the intermediate railing sections 25. At one side, that is, the front side, for example, there may be left an opening or gatewayZB with steps 21 leading to it, and an extra pair of posts 24a at the opposite sides thereof, of the sameform and construction as the corner posts 24. These posts are substantially rectangular and square in shape with an interior longitudinal passage 26 and a length of tubing 21 at its lower end portion seating in an opening 28 in the platform ID. This makes. a very satisfactory mountin for the post, holding it in proper position, but permitting it to be lifted oif the platform for disassembly if desired.

In the upper end of each post is a recess 29 for a lamp socket 30 to receive a light bulb 3|, the lead wires 32 from this socket passing down through the sleeve 21 to the under side of the platform, where they may be connected to suitable control means and a wiring connection adapted to be connected to the house wiring system. As shown in Fig. 4, each of these lamp sockets is connected to a receptacle 33 of any inserted into slots in a female attachment plug cap connected by leads to a standard attachment plug cap to be plugged into any wall or similar outlet in the house wiring system. In one of the leads from this plug 33 is any suitable type of control switch 35 such, for example, as a toggle switch, and in one of the leads between this switch and the plug 33 is a safety fuse 36 of less current capacity than the fuses in the house wiring system, so that in the case of a short circuit in the wiring system in the stand, this fuse will blow or fail, so that the short will not be carried back into the house wiring system and will not blow the house fuses. It is also preferred to mount in the platform l an outlet receptacle 3'! with enclosed contacts and slots 32 leading to them for insertion of standard plug-in attachment plug caps for the strings of lights placed on the tree, this receptacle being controlled by the switch 35 and protected by the fuse 36, the same as the rest of the wiring for the stand.

The fence railings 25 between the posts may be of any suitable construction, but preferably of a simple construction comprising top and bottom rails 39 having longitudinal grooves 40 to receive the ends of the upright flat palings 4| and in which they may be secured by gluing, for example, the ends of these fence sections being secured to the posts 24 by any suitable means, such for example, as gluing.

It will be seen the device is of very simple construction and attractive appearance, that the tree can be very easily and quickly mounted, and when in position is very rigidly held by the pointed member 22 and the clamping screws 20, and that the lower end of the stem is always in water so that the tree is always kept fresh and filled with water, greatly reducing the fire hazard, which is particularly dangerous when the tree is allowed to dry out. As there is water in the device there is, of course, always the chance and danger of short circuiting in the electrical connections, but any danger of fire from this is eliminated by the use of the auxiliary fuse 36 in the wiring of the device itself, which will blow so that there is no danger of such a short circuit causing a fire. Also, if there is a short circuit anywhere in this stand, the fuse 36 will blow and the effect of the short will not be carried back into the house system or blow any fuses of this system, if the proper size fuse is used in this device. As the floor I0 of the platform is made in two sections it may be readily assembled on opposite sides of the center support and container l3 and then rigidly secured together by the screws [5, which also mounts this container and support on the under side of the floor or platform.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tree stand of the character described comprising a platform floor in at least two sections with abutting edges and provided with an opening at the abutting edges of the sections, a con= tainer for water mounted on the platform floor and provided with a lateral flange, means for securing the flange to the sections on opposite sides of the abutting edges to mount the container and secure the sections together, an upright sleeve extending upwardly from the container through said opening and provided with an out wardly tapered funnel at its upper end above the platform, and means in said tube for clamping a tree stem with the lower end of the stem in the container.

2. A tree stand of the character described comprising a platform floor, means for supporting the platform floor above a house floor, a container for water mounted on the said floor and provided with an upright tube extending above the floor adapted to receive the stem of a tree, a series of electric lamp sockets mounted above the floor adjacent its outer edge, wiring connecting said sockets, means for connecting said wiring with an outlet connection in a house wiring system, and a fuse mounted in the stand in said wiring between the sockets and the connection to the house system to protect the system in case of a short circuit in the wiring incident to the use of water in the stand.

3. A tree stand of the character described comprising a platform floor, means for supporting the platform floor above a house floor, a container for water mounted on the under side of said platform floor and provided with an upright tube extending above this floor adapted to receive the stem of a tree, the upper end of the tube above the platform being flared outwardly to provide a funnel for pouring water into the tank, a series of electric lamp sockets mounted on the platform floor, wiring connecting the sockets below this floor, means for connecting said wiring with an outlet connection in a house wiring system, a control switch for said sockets mounted in the stand, and a fuse mounted in the stand in said wiring between the sockets and the means for connecting the wiring to the house system to protect said system in case of a short circuit in the stand wiring incident to the use of water in the stand.

4. Atree stand of the character described comprising a platform floor, a molding about the edge of the platform floor to support it above a house floor, a water container mounted on the platform floor and provided with an upright tube projecting above said floor to receive the stem of a tree, a series of posts projecting upwardly from said platform floor and each provided with a longitudinal passage, a sleeve in the lower portion of the passage and seated in an opening in the platform floor to mount the post, a lamp socket in the top of the post, electric wiring from the socket through the sleeve to the under side of the platform floor to connect the sockets, and means for connecting said wiring to an outlet connection in a house wiring system.

5. A tree stand of the character described comprising a platform floor, a series of upright posts on said fioor each provided with a longitudinal passage, a tube in the lower end of the passage seated in an opening in the floor to mount the post thereon, an electric lamp socket in the upper end of the post, wiring from the socket extending through the tube to the under side of the platform floor, and means for connecting the wiring from the posts to an outlet connection of a house wiring system.

JOSEPH F. I-IAVERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,785 Weinert May 15, 1900 1,160,698 Diedericks Nov. 16, 1915 1,579,649 Cushway 1 Apr, 6, 1926 1,900,807 Fegley et al. Mar. 7, 1933 1,971,300 Garrett Aug. 21, 1934 

